Circulation control for wells and actuator therefor



A. L. ARMENTRUT CIRCULATION CONTROL FOR WLLS AND ACTUATOR THEREFOR Nov. 4, 1952 Filed Sept. 30, 1948 Ihrenzor case illustrated the liner A ls shown directly coupled to the body II by a threaded connection I8 while the upper end of the body is joined to the hanger by a suitable coupling I9 which is joined to the body by a threaded connection 20.

The valve I2 which is in the form of a sleeve surrounding the body II is freely rotatable on the body and has suitable ports I5 cooperating with the ports I4 of the body in the manner above described. In practice it is desirable to provide sealing means 2| between the valve I2 and the body I I to prevent leakage between these elements. It is to be understood that in practice any suitable form of sealing or packing means may be incorporated in the structure to gain the desired fluid-tight relationship between the body and valve.

The means I6 is a mechanical means wholly contained in the structure characterized by the body I and valve I2. In the preferred form of the invention the means I6 embodies one or more springs so coupled with or between the body and valve as to normally tend to rotate the valve about the body. In the particular case illustrated the means I6 includes tw-o helical springs 23 which surround the body I3 above and below the valve I2. Each spring 23 has one end anchored or made fast to one end of the valve I2 while the other end is anchored to a stop or ange-like element 24 xed on the body II a suitable distance beyond or spaced from the valve I2. In the particular case illustrated the stop flanges 24 are threaded on the body although, in practice, they may be engaged with the body in any desired manner so that they are rigid therewith.

In practice tubular housings 26 encase the springs 23 and extend between the valve I2 and the stop flanges 24. The housing members 26 serve to eectively protect or encase the springs and they also hold the valve I2 in the desired position lengthwise of the body, as will be apparent from Fig. 2 of the drawings.

The means I I releasably holding the valve sleeve I2 against operation relative to the body is preferably a latch means. In the form of the invention illustrated the means II is shown as a spring latch construction involving a. spring latch 30 carried by one of the elements and cooperatively engaging latch shoulders 3I on the other element. In the arrangement shown the spring latch 3l! is carried by the valve sleeve I2 while the shoulders 3l are provided on the body I2 being circumferentially spaced around the body in an annular series. The latch 30 normally yieldingly assumes a position where it engages a shoulder 3'I, as shown in Fig. 3 or' the drawings, and in the particular form of the invention illustrated the shoulders 3| are spaced around the exterior portion of the body so that when the latch engages a shoulder the valve I2 is either in a full open position or a full closed position. Where there are four ports I4 in the body and four corresponding ports I 5 in the body it is desirably that there be eight shoulders 3l, four of which are located to stop the valve in position where the ports I4 and I5 are out of register.

The actuator E provided by the present invention is adapted to be engaged in the structure just described from the upper end of the well, and in the form illustrated it is shown as including an operating string 40 and a latch actuator 4I carried by the string to cooperate with the latch 30. In the particular form of actuator E illustrated in the drawings the string 48 is tubular and is provided at its lower end with a head 42 carrying the latch actuator 4I. The latch actuator is shown as a plunger slidably carried in a laterally disposed guide opening 43 in the head 42 and a spring 44 behind the plunger normally yieldingly urges it outwardly while a stop spring 45 operates in a longitudinal opening 46 extending transversely through the plunger to limit the movement ofthe plunger in the guide opening 43. The outer end'or tip portion 41 of the plunger is beveled so that as the actuator E is lowered into the well obstruc- .tions engaged by the plunger do not damage the plunger but merely cause it to lbe moved inwardly in the guide opening against the resistance of the spring 44.

With an actuator E having a spring pressed element such as the plunger 4I engageable into the body II to a position such as is shown in Fig. 10 it is desirable to provide the body I0 with access openings 50 at or adjoining the stop shoulders 3l as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings. With an access opening 50 adjoining each stop shoulder 3| the actuator E can be lowered into the structure to the point where its plunger 4I enters the access opening adjacent the shoulder engaged by the spring latch 30. The spring 44 is made stronger than the spring of the latch 3l so that when the plunger 44 engages the spring latch 30 the latch is depressed, freeing the sleeve valve I2 from the body II so that the springs 23 are free to act and rotate the valve relative to the body. It is to be understood, of course, that the sleeve or valve I2 has been initially rotated relative to the body I0 in such manner asto put the springs 23 under tension so that they have the desired action when the latch 30 is released. When the latch 30 has been released in the manner above described the valve I2 rotates to a position where the latch engages the next latch shoulder 3l, in which position the structure will remain until the latch is again released.

Any operation of the valve I2 as just described will cause the valve either to open or to close, depending upon the position of the valve when the operation was initiated. It may be that it is desired to leave the structure in the position that follows release of the latch 30, in which case the actuator E may be removed, the walls of the access openings 50l being inclined or pitched so that the plunger 4I is depressed when the actuator is moved either up or down from a position where the plunger is engaged in an access opening. If it is desired to follow one actuation of the latch 30 by another actuation thereof without removing the actuator E it is merely necessary to rotate the actuator causing the plunger 4I to move from one access opening to the next, or to the access opening where the latch is located. It will be apparent from Fig. 3 of the drawings how the walls of the access openings 50 are inclined or beveled so that the plunger 4I is depressed as it moves from one opening to the next.

The particular actuator E shown in the drawings includes a tubular string 40 and the head 42 carries spaced packers that slidably engage in the body I I so that liow passed by the registering ports I4 and I5 above described may enter the actuating string 40 through a passage 6| provided in the head between the packers. It is to be understood that the flow can be in either direction, that is, either down through the operating string 40 and out through the portsv I4 and I5, or in through ports I4 and I5 and into the operatingstring lll` through the passage 6I.

agennm When the actuator; E ,iszemployed' in:` connect,

a stop member or iiangerlmay 'be provided .on-1. the actuatorto engagev andzzbestopped againstthef.:

shoulderv l whenxtheplungerxdl of kthefactuator hasiadvanced intothebodyfl I to;a point opposite the access openings 50, whereuponzit isgmerelyl necessary to; rotate thezoperatingstringd until theiplungerlll reachesithe access openingat: which: the latch 30' happens; to be located., Throughl this relationship of parts'. it is ay very'.`

simple matterxto operate theV structure and; the force'or powerrequiredtoturn the valve need not be applied through thel ;actuat`or Ev orY fromany; other external source; but is Wholly contained in1thestructure itself.. It Vwill be apparent thaty the springs 23 that supply thenecessary-power' may beof 'such sizegstrength'and form as to operate the valve successively as many times as normal circumstances :will require;`

Having described ,only a typical preferred form and application of my invention,Ido,not wish` relatively rotatable sections, spring meanstend-A ing-to rotate one of the sections relative to'` the other, and a releasable control for the said means adapted to normally hold the sections against relative rotation, the control including a member normally engaged between the sections and adapted to be released from one section by a member inserted into the device through the well, one section being a body with a port and the other being a sleeve valve rotatable to and from position where it closes the port.

2. A device for controlling flow in a well and applicable to a structure in a well including, two relatively rotatable sections, mechanical means normally tending to rotate one of the sections relative to the other, and a latch control normally holding the sections against operation by the said means and including a latch member `normally engaged with each section and adapted to be released from one section by a member inserted into the device through the well, one section being a body with a port and the other being a sleeve valve rotatable to and from a position where it closes the port.

3. A device for controlling flow in a well and applicable to a structure in a well including, two relatively rotatable sections having cooperating ports, one section being a tubular body and the other a valve sleeve surrounding the body and rotatable thereon, an operating spring acting between the body and sleeve turning the sleeve relative to the body, and a latch releasably holding the sleeve against operation.

4. A device for controlling flow in a well and applicable to a structure in a well including, two relatively rotatable sections having cooperating ports, one section being a tubular body and the other a valve sleeve surrounding the body and rotatable thereon, means holding the sleeve against axial movement on the body, an operating spring acting between the body and sleeve to rotate the sleeve on the body, and a latch releasably holding the sleeve against operation.

5. A device for controlling flow in a well and applicable to a structure in a Well including, two

relativelyf rotatable. sections s having; cooperating-f parts,` ones section, being at. tubulara portedbody@- and thef other: a: valvef. sleeve;A surrounding vthe-1 body and rotatable relative thereto. an operating r springfactingbetween the body andfsleeveitorotate.the sleeveon theabody, anda spring'y latch.

releasablyholding the'sleeveagainst operatiorn.

6. A device. for: controlling' iiwfin. afwell and.: applicable ato a structure :in:ai.well including;y two',A relatively; rotatable sections :rhavingrcooperatlngi ports; one section being ai.tubularfbodyfandthe? other;l ar.valve sleevez.surrounding2j tlie; body'andf rotatable relative f thereto;r anL operating spring; acting between therbodyand sleeve"tofrotate:.the; sleeve', and i a latch: releasablyv holding thesl'eevez against operation, the operating.'springbeing'a.

helicall spring.' surroundingthelbodyj and having onerend'fanchored.toathefbody and theotherl endV anchored toftl'ieisleevee 7. A device for`controllingv dow 'inta' Wells and.' appli-cableI to a structure in axvvell including; two relatively rotatable sections having cooperating' ports; one section being a tubularbody Aand the.-

other arvalve sleeve surroundingV theibody'and rotatablerelative thereto, an operating spring atl. the exterior of the bodyacting'between thebodyy and sleeve, means housing the vspring and holding the-sleeve" against axial movement on the. body, and a latchv releasablypholding: thesle'eve.

against operation;

8. A structureofthe character described including, aftubular'body; a' sleeve'on the'body, the body and sleeve l'iavingcooperatingA ports; helical I,

springs around the body at the ends of the sleeve. each spring having one end anchored to the body and the other end anchored to the sleeve, and means releasably holding the sleeve against operation relative to the body.

9. A structure of the character described including, a tubular body having an access opening, a sleeve on the body, the body and sleeve having cooperating ports, helical springs around the body at the ends of the sleeve, each spring having one end anchored to the body and the other end anchored to the sleeve, and means releasably holding the sleeve against operation relative to the body including a latch engageable through the access opening.

l0. A structure of the character described including, a tubular body having an annular series of access openings, a valve sleeve rotatable on the body, the body and sleeve having cooperating uid handling ports spa-ced from the said openings, spring means normally tending to rotate the sleeve on the body, and means releasably holding the sleeve against rotation including, a latch carried by the body cooperating with shoulders at the interior of the body adjacent the access openings.

ll. In combination, a control carried by structure in a well and including, a ported tubular body, a valve operable relative to the body and controlling flow through the port of the body, means normally tending to operate the valve, and a releasable latch holding the valve against operation, and an actuator including a string to be lowered into the well, and a latch actuating element on the string engageable with the latch to operate it.

12. In combination, a control carried by structure in a well and including, a ported tubular body, a valve operable relative to the body and controlling flow through the port of the body, a spring normally tending to operate the valve, and a releasable latch holding the valve against operation, and an actuator including a string to be lowered into the well, and a latch actuating element on the string engageable with the latch to operate it.

13. In combination, a control carried by structure in a Well and including, a ported tubular body, a valve operable relative to the body and controlling flow through the port of the body, means normally tending to operate the valve, and a releasable latch holding the valve against operation, and an actuator including a tubular string to be lowered into the well, and a latch actuating member on the string engageable with the latch to operate it, the string being in communication with the exterior of the control through said valve.

14. In combination, a control carried by structure in a well and including, a ported tubular body, a valve operable relative to the body and controlling flow through the port of the body, means normally tending to operate the valve, and a releasable latch holding the valve against operation, and an actuator including a tubular string to be inserted in the well, a latch actuating member carried by the string engageable A with the latch, and spaced packers on the string engageable in the body, the string having an opening between the packers establishing communi-cation between the interior of the string and the exterior of the control through the said valve.

15. In combination, a control carried by structure in a Well and including, a ported tubular body, a valve operable relative to the body and controlling iiow through the port of the body. means normally tending to operate the valve, and a releasable latch holding the valve against operation, and an actuator including a string to be lowered into the well, and a spring actuated latch engaging member on the string engageable with the latch to operate it.

16. In combination, a control carried by structure in a well and including, a ported tubular body, a valve operable relative to the body and controlling ow through the port of the body. means normally tending to operate the valve. and a releasable latch holding the valve against operation, and an actuator including a string to be lowered into the well, and a spring actuated plunger carried by the string engageable with the latch to operate it.

ARTHUR L. ARMENTROUT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,069,744 Ulmer Aug. 12, 1913 1,979,857 Benson Nov. 6, 1934 2,143,055 Crickmer et al Jan. 10, 1939 2,153,268 Neighbors Apr. 4, 1939 2,168,735 Gilstrap i Aug. 8, 1939 2,178,540 McNeese et al Nov. 7, 1939 2,248,169 Granger July 8, 1941 2,380,022 Burt July 10, 1945 

